Mining machine



M. P. HOLMES MINING MACHINE Oct. 25, 1932.

Filed June 25, 1930 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFV'ICEIV MORRIS. P. HOLMES,. 0F CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TOSULLIIIAN MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS" MINING MACHINE Application filed June 25,

This invention relates'to mining machines and more particularlyv to improvements in cutter bars of suchmachines.

Heretofore mining machine cutter bars have been constructed of a built-up box section comprising in themain two longitudinal beams spaced apart laterally and joined together by top and bottom plates, the cutter chain channel or guideway being formed 'by four gibs or narrow plates riveted above and below the longitudinal beams aforesaid and projecting beyond their outer edges. The wearing faces of the chain channel or guideway, that is to say, the inner faces of the gibs and the outer faces of the longitudinal beamshave been made renewable by means of thin metal lining plates, the channel itself being T-shaped with the cross bar of the T inwards and lying perpendicularlyto the plane of the bar. Such constructions have the advantage that all wearing surfaces are renewable but they are undoubtedly expensive to construct.

One object of this invention is to provide a-cutter bar of'more rugged construction and less expensive to manufacture than heretofore. Another object is toprovide a cutter bar of an improved construction whereby while retainng all'the advantagesof the cutter bar above referred to, a comparatively simple and less expensive construction having a relatively small number of parts is obtained. These and other advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposesof illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In thisdrawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cutter bar according to' this invention, mounted upon a hanger.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken sub stantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fi 3 isa transverse section taken substant1al1y on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a complete mining machine of the type to which 1930. Serial No. 463,776.

a cutter bar according to this invention is applicable. 7 1 In this illustrative embodimentof the in vention the cutter bar which is indicated generally by the numeral 6 comprises atop plate u 7 and a bottom plate 8, which plates are interchangeable as hereinafter described. These plates are separated by metal strips 9 and 10 interlocked togetheriat 11 by slots and ribs on the mating strips and extending longitudinally of the cutter bar. The top and bottom plates and the metalv strips 9 and 10" are held in assembled relation by means of rivets 12 (see Fig. 3). The links of the cutter chain, which are not shown but which may be of the same general construction as those disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 445,141, filed Apr. 17, 1930,. run within a T-shaped cutter chain channel orguideway 13 formed by relatively wide, lon- 3. As shown in Fig. 1 the metal strips 9 and 10 project longitudinally beyond the outer ends of the top and bottom plates 7 and 8 and are curved at 16 at their-outer ends. These curved surfaces, together with the curved surface 17 formed on a block member 18 interposed between the strips at the opposite sides v of the bar, serve to form a curved guide channel or guideway at the outer extremity'of the cutter bar. Secured to the projecting ends of the metal strips 9 and 10'are top and bottom end plates 19, and the metal strips and these end plates are held in assembledrelation by bolts 20 as shown in Fig. 2. The outer ends of the plates 19 are curved at 21in conformation with the curved surfaces 16, 17 The block member 18'is also secured to the top and bottom end plates 19 by bolts 22. It I will thus be seen that the cutter'chain channel extends along two opposed sides'and in arcuate form around one end of the cutter bar.'

In the present construction the metal strips 9 and 10 arepreferably welded as at 23 to y the top and bottom plates? and8 and the two parts including the part 7 and the strips 9 and 10 welded thereto and the part 8 and the strips 9 and 10 welded thereto are identical in construction and when placed together with the interlocking joints 11 in position and bolted and riveted together form a unitary cutter bar structure of an exceedingly rugged character. Moreover, the construction of the cutter bar in two main parts permits the Wearing surfaces of the T-shaped channel or guideway and particularly the cross bar 24 of the T which is engaged by projections upon the links of the cutter chain to be machined with comparative ease and without any expensive machine tool layout. It will be evident, however, the strips 9 and 10 may be formed integral with their respective plates or, if desired, separately riveted to the plates.

and that instead of the bolts and rivets shown, other suitable securing-devices may be employed. V

In order to take up slack in the cutter chain the cutter bar has secured thereto a guide member-25 held in position by bolts 26 threadedly engaged by a plate 27 engagingt-he bottom plate of the cutter bar, and this guide is slidably mounted in the guideways of a hanger 28 and the/adjustment is effected in the following manner. Threadedly connected at 29 within a boss 30 formed integral with the hanger 28 is an adjusting screw 31 having an hexagonal head 32 abutting against a perforated boss 33' formed on the guide member 25 attached to the cutter bar. The bolt 31 passes through the aperture 34 in the boss 33 and is provided with a threaded check nut 35. Upon rotation of the screw 31it will be evident that the cutter bar may be slid in the dire'ction of its length relative to the hanger guide. The cutting of coal or other material is performed by a series of cutters which are mounted'upon an endless chain which is guided on the cutter bar as mentioned above, the cutter chain traveling in an orbital path around the periphery of the cutter bar, and the coal cutting machine on which the bar hanger is pivotally mounted is generally indicated by the number 36. This machine may be of the same. general type as that disclosed in mycopending application Ser. No. 137,600, filed Sept. 24, 1926, but as it does not per se enter into this invention andthe bar may be mounted on various types of machines, further description of the sameis thought unnecessary.

In some known constructions of cutter bars, it has heretofore been proposed to run the cutter chain over an idler sprocket at the free or outer end'of the cutter bar. In the present instance, however, in order to obtain a cheaper construction it is preferred in a cutter bar according to the present invention to dispense with this idler sprocket and to runthe cutter chain around the semi-circular bearing formed by the curved surfaces 16 and 17 on the metal strips 9 and 10, the mem, ber 18 and the end plates 19. In such a construction it is necessary to make the cross bar 24 of the T-shaped channel or guide 13 deeper aroundand in adjacency with this semi-circular bearing than along the straight sides of the cutter bar. This is done in order to accommodate the throw of those projections upon the links of the cutter chain which engage in the cross bar 24: of the T-shaped channel 13. If desired, however, the usual construction of'idler sprocket may-be retained.

As a result of this invention it will be noted that an improved mining machine cutter bar is provided which, due to its construction,

is of an extremely simple and rugged char- 3 acter. It will further be noted thatby constructing the cutter .bar in two major parts comprising the top plates and the metalstrips welded thereto, the cost of machining has been materially reduced and the Work thereon facilitated. These and other advantages of the improved cutter bar structure will be clearly apparent to those skilled in this art.

lVhile there is in this application specifi-w cally described oneform which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may bemodified and embodied in various otherv forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

- W'hat I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: 1. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutterchain channel extending along two op posedsides and in arcuate form around one end of the cutter bar comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mating metal strips Welded to said plates, and devices for securing. said plates and strips in assembled relation.

2. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the cutter bar-comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mat ng metal. strips welded to said plates, said plates and their-respective strips forming two separate parts. and devices for securing said parts in assembled relation. v a

3. A mining machine cutter bar having a v cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate' form around one end of the cutter bar comprising top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates and curved at the outer end of thebar, a blocksecured between said plates and having a curved surface cooperating with said curved surfaces onsaid strips, said curved surfaces forming said arcuate chan nel, and devices for securing said parts'in assembled relation. I v 4;. A mining machine cutter-bar having a cutter. chain channel extending alongltwo opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the cutter bar comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, matmg metal strips attached to said plates and having curved surfaces at the outer end of the bar cooperating to form said arcuate channel, and devices for securing the parts in assembled relation. v

5. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter cliain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the cutter bar comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates and having curved surfaces at their outer ends, a block secured between said end plates and having a curved surface cooperating with said curved surfaces, said curved surfaces forming said arcuate channel, and devices for securing said parts in assembled relation.

6. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed. sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar comprising top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for interlocking said strips together, and devices for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation.

7. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar compris ng top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for interlocking said strips to gather, and devices for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation, said strips when in assembled position with said plates forming sides of said cutter chain channel.

8. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of said bar comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mating metal strips secured to said plates, and devices for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation.

9. A mining machine cutter bar having top and bottom plates extending for the major portion of the length of said bar, cooperating end plates rounded at one end to form the tip end of said bar, mating metal strips to which said top and bottom plates and said cooperating end plates are attached, said plates and strips when united cooperating in the formation of a cutter chain channel following the periphery of said bar, and means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation.

10. A mining machine cutter bar having top and bottom plates extending for the major portion of the length of said bar, cooperating end plates rounded at one end to form the tip end of said bar, mating metal strips to which said top and bottom plates and said cooperating end plates are attached, said stripsbeing. formed at one .end to follow the curvature of the rounded portion of saidend plates, said plates and strips when united cooperating in the formation of a. cutter chain channel following the periphery of said bar, and means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation. l

11. A mining machine cutter bar having top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mating metal strips having a curved portion at one end and inserted between said top and bottom plates, a block secured between said strips and said end plates and having a curved portion cooperating with the curved portions of said strips to form a complete arcuate bearing portion around which a cutter chain may be guided, said plates, block and strips when united forming a complete cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end thereof, and devices for securing said parts in assembled relation.

12. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar comprising top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation to form the main body of the bar, said plates having a portion for cooperating with a hanger support, a hanger support, and means for eifecting adjustment of said plates relative to said hanger support.

13. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar comprising top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation to form the main body of the bar, said plates having a portion for cooperating with a hanger support, a. hanger support, and means between said bar and said hanger support for effecting adjustment of said bar relative thereto.

14. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar comprising top and bottom plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation to form the main body of the bar, said plates having a portion for cooperating with a hanger support, a hanger support, and means for effecting movement of the bar longitudinally relative to the hanger support comprising manually operable means between said bar and said hanger support.

15. A mining machine cutter bar having a cutter chain channel extending along two opposed sides and in arcuate form around one end of the bar comprising top and bottom plates, cooperating end plates, mating metal strips attached to said plates, means for securing said plates and strips in assembled relation, said top and bottom plates having a portion for cooperating with a hanger'support, a hanger support, and means for effecting adjustment of said plates relative to said hanger support.

In testimony whereof I'afiiX my signature.

{MORRIS P. HOLMES. 

